Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 10th

Saturday, 13th July: A very pleasant summer's morning, with plenty of sun and a bit of cloud in just a light breeze, north-easterly early on, before veering towards the south-west......

Selsey Bill: It was another unsurprisingly quiet morning, with just a few of the regular species, including 20+ Common Scoters and a dozen House Martins. Full log below. (SH/PB/SR/IP/AH)

(0615-0830hrs) (NE, F2)

Gannet - 18E, 3W, 6os

Common Scoter - 6E, 20W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 8E

Sandwich Tern - 11E, 8W

Common Tern - 2E

Little Tern - 2E

Swift - 6

Swallow - 2

Sand Martin - 1

House Martin - 12

Pied Wagtail - 1

Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was no sign of the Green Sandpipers this morning, though there were a Snipe, two Common Sandpipers, a juvenile and two adult Little Ringed Plovers, two adult and three juvenile Avocets, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family still present.

Also, one Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite, half a dozen Cattle Egrets were with the cows and there were three Pied Wagtails about, too. (SH/PB/AH/MRe)

Common Sandpipers (above),, Little Ringed Plover and Snipe, juvenile Avocets & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The only raptors of the day were here - firstly a Sparrowhawk very high in the sky over Drift Road amongst the Swifts, a Kestrel on the telegraph wires at the farm and then another Sparrowhawk over the fields.
Also, a Reed Warbler was at the eastern end of the fields, along with a number of Whitethroats. (IP)

East Side: At low tide a winter-plumage Roseate Tern was with four Common Terns and 34 Mediterranean Gulls out on the mud, along with a Whimbrel, two Dunlin, four Lapwings, 48 Redshanks, 36 Curlews and 14 Oystercatchers. (LP)

Roseate Tern (above) & Roseate Tern and Mediterranean Gulls along the East side (LP)

Church Norton: There were over 100 Sandwich Terns on the metalwork and mud this morning, with a constant stream flying into the harbour with fish for juvenile birds, and there were also a dozen Common Terns and 20 Mediterranean Gulls mixed in amongst them, but no Little Terns.
Waders present comprised a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper feeding on the mud, along with 25 Redshanks, four Curlews, three Whimbrel, two Ringed Plovers and the obligatory Oystercatchers.
A Great spotted Woodpecker flew over the path between the Severals and two Green Woodpeckers were perched together on the dead tree at the back of the first Several, with others of this species also in Bluebell Wood and on the path by the harbour.
Common Whitethroats were literally everywhere, with large numbers around the stunted oaks and in the small bramble bushes on the seaward side, whilst in Bluebell Wood several Chiffchaffs were seen carrying food, with a Blackcap and a young Robin also seen.
Also, a flock of 20 Mediterranean Gulls flew west along the shoreline and a pair of Stock Doves flew into Priory Wood, but there were just a few hirundines, including two Sand Martins. (IP)

Green Woodpecker (above), Roe Deer & Marbled White at Church Norton (IP)

North Wall: It was pretty quiet this morning, though two Common Terns dropped in to feed over the Breech Pool, half a dozen Sand Martins and Swallows went south over the wall and the pair of Great Crested Grebes still had three chicks, whilst the harbour just held three Black-tailed Godwits, a handful of Lapwings and Curlews and 30+ Redshanks.

There were still a few Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings singing sporadically, but everything was keeping low, including a family of Whitethroats in Owl Point field, but there was plenty of activity around Owl Copse and adjacent fields, including five Grey Herons and at least 25 Cattle and Little Egrets. (AH/LP/JDW)

Common Terns (LP) (above), Cattle Egrets, Reed Bunting, Great Crested Grebe family & Marbled White (AH) at the North Wall

North Mundham: A Red Kite went north over the village this morning. (MJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were still one young Little Ringed Plover with three adults, one young Avocet with three adults and two young Oystercatcher with five adults on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with two Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper, whilst a single Cattle Egret was on the reserve.

Four Dartford Warblers were along the banks, together with a Stonechat, six Whitethroats, , three Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Bunting and ten Yellowhammers, whilst five Sand Martins, 25 Swallows and four Swifts went over, along with two Buzzards and two Kestrels. (S&SaH/PB)

Friday, 12th July: A pretty dismal day for high summer, with early rain slowly clearing to leave it unseasonably cool and very grey in a brisk north-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was a quiet morning, with just a few of the regular species about, with a pod of half a dozen or so Bottle-nosed Dolphins - the first in a while - going east being the highlight. Full log below. (IP/SR/AH/BI)

(0705-0820hrs) (NE, F5)

Gannet - 2E, 1os

Little Egret - 1W

Common Scoter - 1W, 20os

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 1W, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 11E, 10W

Common Tern - 1W

Swift - 2

House Martin - 3

Pied Wagtail - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E

Sandwich Terns (above), Mediterranean Gull and BI and SR dressed for the summer at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was quite a little selection of species seen at various times this morning, including three Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, an adult and a well-grown juvenile Avocet and 14 Black-tailed Godwits, along with three Teal and the Shelduck family.

Thee were also three Cattle Egrets on the pool early on, and the two Spotted Redshanks and the Greenshank, along with a dozen Redshanks and a pair of Shelducks with eight well-grown juveniles, were in the channel opposite. (AH/IP/RP et al)

Green Sandpipers (above), Common Sandpiper, Green and Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plover, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwits, juvenile Avocet & Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)

The three Green Sandpipers were still on the concealed pool, along with three Little Ringed Plovers - two adults and a juvenile, a Common Sandpiper and the adult and juvenile Avocets, with 12 Black-tailed Godwits on the main pool. (AH)

Green Sandpipers (above) & Little Ringed Plover at the Ferry (AH)

Apuldram Manor Farm: A flock of 150 Swallows and eight Sand Martins was feeding over the fields and three Skylarks were singing, whilst the hedges held a Yellowhammer, two Chiffchaffs and a Jay.

Also, six Great Crested Grebes were on the water and there were three Little Egrets and two Grey Herons about. (SR).

Church Norton: There were still at least 50 Sandwich Terns in the harbour this morning, including at least a dozen juveniles, and half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, with waders comprising a Greenshank, c30 Redshanks, four Ringed Plovers, two Whimbrel, c20 Curlews and a dozen Oystercatchers, but a Jay and briefly singing Chiffchaff was it for the bushes. (AH)

Greenshank (above) & Whimbrel and Redshanks at the Ferry (AH)

This evening there were two Little Terns feeding in the harbour, and then a further 15 flew up from behind Tern Island, whilst a couple of Common Terns were among c80 Sandwich Terns around the metalwork, with c150 Mediterranean Gulls mostly roosting out in the middle of the harbour.

Also, two Avocets flew around the harbour mouth before heading off east, and a family of Whitethroats and a couple of Linnets and Skylarks were along the beach. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Whitethroats & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 11th July: A quite warm and mostly sunny morning, in just a light north-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet this morning, though seven Little Terns went west and three Sand Martins were among the House Martins. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0655-0825hrs) (NNW, F2-3)

Gannet - 1W, 2os

Little Egret - 1

Common Scoter - 1E
Oystercatcher - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 27W

Sandwich Tern - 12W, 20os

Common Tern - 1W

Little Tern - 7W

Swift - 3

Sand Martin - 3

House Martin - 8

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Sand Martin & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just three Common Sandpipers, four Lapwings and four Black-tailed Godwits around the pool this morning, with another Common Sandpiper and the Greenshank in the channel opposite, whilst up to a dozen Cattle Egrets were in among the cows. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Greenshank & Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were lots of hirundines flying high, not feeding low over the fields, the majority of which were House Martins, but included a few Swallows and at least three Sand Martins.

Also, a Buzzard cruised above them, a pair of Stock Doves flew over and a silent Reed Warbler was in the rife, whilst on my return to the farm a Sparrowhawk erupted from a low bush and flew low south along the footpath towards Drift Road. (IP)

Church Norton: A Kestrel was sat on one of the outer posts along the Spit, and the highlight was four Common Sandpipers together on the mud, with other waders (apart from the numerous Oystercatchers) numbering three Curlews, two Whimbrel, six Redshank and a Ringed Plover, whilst at least 75 Sandwich Terns were sat on the mud, along with 12 Common and two Little Terns, though there were only four Shelducks visible.

A family of Reed Warblers were in a bush beside the path at the Severals, and several Stock Doves were present, and, again there were a lot of hirundines high in the sky with a few Sand Martins amongst them, whilst a Jay was at Greenlease Farm and two Buzzards were over Priory Wood. (IP)

This evening there were c120 Sandwich Terns in the harbour, but just a couple of Common Terns and c20 Mediterranean Gulls, with a dozen or so roosting Turnstones and Redshanks the only only waders on the high tide, whilst there was also a pair of Shelducks with six well-grown juveniles present. . (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Shelduck family at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Common Tern was again fishing over the Breech Pool, where the resident pair of Great Crested Grebes now have a second brood of three young chicks, while a pair of Tufted Ducks and a few Mallards were also on the water.

Along White’s Creek there were just a few Redshanks, Lapwings and a Curlew, and along the wall a Sparrowhawk, two Green Woodpeckers and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers flew through, with a few Swallows and Sand Martins overhead.

The usual mix of Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets were in Owl Copse and the surrounding fields, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just a Skylark on the fence, although a Clouded Yellow butterfly flew along the bushes and there were a few Marbled Whites about, along with lots of the commoner species. (LP/SP/TRH/CT/GHi)

This evening there was a surprisingly good selection of waders seen on the falling tide, including two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, five Knot, a Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, 36 Grey Plovers, five Ringed Plovers, 12 Lapwings, 81 Dunlin and 70 Redshanks, along with a Lesser Black-backed Gull and six Mediterranean Gulls.

There were also five Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers and two Blackcaps along the wall and a handful of Sand Martins and Swallows over. (MRe)

Later on, two Barn Owls were seen carrying food towards two different nest sites, whilst 21 Cattle Egrets and c30 Little Egrets were around Owl Copse and a Water Rail, five Reed Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler and a Common Lizard were in the vicinity, too.

Also, c70 Swallows and c40 Sand Martins, plus a Buzzard a Sparrowhawk, went over. (S&SaH)

Later still, a Green Sandpiper flew over the wall and there was a huge gathering of 1000+ Sand Martins over the Breech Pool. (SP )

Common Tern (above), Lapwing & Great Crested Grebe family at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was still quite a bit of activity along the banks, including at least three Dartford Warblers, a dozen Whitethroats, two or three Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings and at least 20 Yellowhammers, Linnets and Skylarks, whilst a family of Stonechats were near the Marsh Farm buildings.

On the Stilt Pool there were an adult and two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, a pair of Avocets with a well-grown juvenile, ten Oystercatchers, including at least two juveniles, a Common Sandpiper and eight Lapwings, with c30 Sand Martins and ten Swallows feeding over the water. (AH)

Dartford Warblers (above), Yellowhammer, Yellowhammer and Skylark, Sand Martin, Stonechat, Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing & Oystercatchers at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 10th July: A much better morning, with a mix of quite warm sun and fast-moving clouds, though still with a fresh and blustery south-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There was no sign of the Roseate Terns this morning in sub-optimal conditions, though there were plenty of other terns on the bar and some moving west. Full log below. (MRe/SR/AH/IP/MO-W)

(0605-0850hrs) (SW, F4-5)

Gannet - 5W

Little Egret - 1

Common Scoter - 1E, 2W

Whimbrel - 1W

Curlew - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 5E, 30W, 50os

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 63W, c40os

Common Tern - 3W, 12os

Little Tern - 9W, 10os

Swift - 1

Swallow - 1W

Sand Martin - 1E

House Martin - 6

This evening a pale-phase and a dark-phase Arctic skuas were chasing terns offshore, with a bit of westward tern passage evident, too. Full log below. (SH/MRe)

(1630-1915hrs)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Arctic Skua - 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 30W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 60W, 20os

Common Tern - 8W, 3os

Little Tern - 13W,16os

Swallow - 1W

Sandwich Tern (above), Mediterranean Gull, Little Egret & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The first returning Snipe was on the concealed pool this morning, along with two Little Ringed Plovers and two Common Sandpipers, with two more of the latter and 14 Black-tailed Godwits, plus the Shelduck family on the main pool.

Also, another Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank and the Greenshank were in the channel opposite and a female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the area. (AH)

Snipe (above), Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank & Marsh Harrier at the Ferry (AH)

West Wittering: A pair of Grey Partridges were seen in fields at the far (western) end of Ellanore Lane today - the first sighting on the Peninsula in over a year for the species. (SH)

Church Norton: There were c120 Sandwich Terns, including at least 20 juveniles, out on he mud, along with four Common Terns, including a juvenile, and c60 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst there were also five Whimbrel, a dozen Curlews and c40 Redshanks about, but a quick look along the sheltered hedges just produced a Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff. (AH)

Common Terns (above), Sandwich Terns & Whimbrel and Redshank at Church Norton (AH)

This evening here were a Greenshank, four Ringed Plovers and four Whimbrel about, along with four Common Terns and still in excess of 100 Sandwich Terns and 50 Mediterranean Gulls, and, also, two Sand Martins went over. (AH/AJW)